For reasons good, bad and downright cringe, Rick Monk was one of the standout characters in The Apprentice 2018.
From his awkward sauna sales pitch (“Hey girls, looking for a place to get warm in?”) to his failed attempts at calling customers (“John, John… John, it’s Rick! are you there? JOHN?”) and that classic octopus mix-up (“is she saying hose or nose?”), Rick provided fans with many memorable moments.
However, Rick – who was fired following this week’s shoe design task – will stick in many viewers’ minds for a comment he made in the first episode of the series, suggesting the girls team would be too worried about their appearance to win the buying task in Malta.
“They’re going to be fashion conscious – ‘Oh, my make-up’s running, my hair!’” he said. “The boys on tour are definitely going to wipe the floor with them!”
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Sexist much??? Saying the girls won't win the first task because they'll be worried about their hair and make-up…. 🙄 #TheApprentice pic.twitter.com/ygSSHqeY4A
— ɢᴀᴠɪɴ (@gavinworby) October 3, 2018
The comment was met with instant backlash on Twitter, but Rick told RadioTimes.com there was an explanation for the aside.
Well, sort of.
“I think it was taken out of context slightly. I was more meaning that it was really hot where we were and that time was of the essence,” he claimed.
“You know, us boys wanted to look good as well. But it would have been easier to run around in our flat shoes than the girls running around in their boardroom heels.”
He added: “If my fiancé was there then you wouldn’t have seen her for three hours! She’s very conscious about her fashion. She would have laughed about [the comment].”
Rick also said that he made the comment “without thinking”, but disagreed with the tweets labelling him sexist. “Obviously people were making judgements only after seeing 10 minutes of me. It’s never come up again.
“It’s quick to make a judgement, isn’t it? But people should be a bit more understanding and be a bit more open-minded and see if people can improve.”
Rick also opened up about his personal life coming under scrutiny, with videos of him reviewing sex toys for Ann Summers – including his pitch for a device called ‘Randy Rick’s Robotic Dick’ – surfacing after he was announced as a candidate.
“I embrace it, to be honest with you. It’s something that we [Rick and fiancé Kate] did a long time ago. It was exciting and we’re like any modern relationship,” he said.
“I thought it might rear its head. But nothing was going to stop me applying for The Apprentice and hopefully being Lord Sugar’s business partner. You’ve got to take every opportunity you get and make the most of it. You’ve got to roll with it.”
Unluckily for Rick, after this week’s firing Lord Sugar won’t be investing in his business plan – Mini Monkeys, a jungle gym “as much about the parent as the child”, with games consoles and drinks for adults.
However, Rick is adamant he should have had another chance in the competition and that fellow contestant Kurran Pooni should have been eliminated in his place. “His efforts were minimal. He wasn’t productive. He didn’t make any sales,” Rick said.
Furthermore, Rick says Kurran was actually portrayed more favourably on the show: “What you see on TV: [that’s when] he’s doing well!”
At the end of the most recent boardroom, Lord Sugar demanded that Kurran project manage the next task. Next episode can’t come sooner.
The Apprentice continues 9pm next Wednesday, BBC1
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